Rivals Or More? A SasuNaru Story

Chapter 14: King Of Stalkers

Sasuke's POV

I can't believe that it went from only Naruto and me walking back home to a third person joining us. Of course, it had to be the girl Naruto seems quite fond of.

Hinata Hyuga.

Hn. As if I care who he is fond of or not.

Naruto is as cheerful as ever as he walks ahead. I sometimes wonder that if I could see his aura, how bright would it be? Maybe it would be as bright as the damn sun. Seriously though, how can he be so chipper like a humming bird all the time? Even while sleeping he must be smiling like a dope and giggling like a lunatic monkey. My lips twich with mirth at the thought.

I feel something poky touch my shoulder and flinch, surprised by the sudden disturbance from my 'Naruto Thoughts'. I seem to be having 'Naruto Thoughts' a lot lately. Or has it been for as long as I've known him? And what is 'Naruto thoughts'? Am I seriously having dopey thoughts right now? Ugh. Staying with Naruto is messing me up bad.

I look towards the source of interruption and notice Hinata looking at me pensively. As soon as my eyes meet hers, her light ones widen, as though she is scared of my reaction.

I just raise a questioning brow when all I want to do is snap an annoyed "what" at her 'I love Naruto' face. Why the heck am I labeling things with Naruto? I internally face palm.

She clears her throat, her eyes a bit apprehensive now that she's facing me head on and that too without Naruto to witness the conversation, which may have put her out of her comfort zone. Because, in the end, she is a just a shy squirrel.

"I wanted to a-ask you something." There she starts with her nervous tic. Her stutter. Her cheeks are again that perpetual embarrassed pink when confronting just about anyone.

"Go on." I ask, already disinterested.

"I noticed that... that you seem to harbor dislike towards me." She says nervously.

"That's just your imagination. I seem to have that look with all the girls because literally all of them are annoyingly after me." I state with a matter of fact tone, making sure that I show my distaste at being the attention of all girls.

Her eyes widen. "I-I don't like -"

"It's pretty obvious you like Naruto, not me," I cut her.

Her eyes turn to saucers and she gasps, astounded as though I had told her I was a girl, not a boy. Quick to follow was the impossibly red flush that started from her neck and ended up covering her whole pale face.

She mutters something inaudible. Her mutters keep on continuing as she does that thing she always does with her finger tips. Tapping her forefingers with each other. One more nervous tic.

I realize that we had stopped. Facing forward, I get to see that Naruto is still walking and is several paces ahead with his joyous bouncing steps, happy in his own oblivious little bubble. I notice Hinata deep in thought, still all flustered and looking anywhere but at me or Naruto.

I snap my fingers in front of stunned Hinata. Her eyes that should have actually been called saucers, blink and she finally comes out of her stupor.

She can't meet my eyes and whispers in a shaky voice, "H-How did you know?"

I shrug. I wonder how did I know? I have a rising feeling that I do know why, but I choose to ignore it because that would mean inviting more complications. And believe me when I say that I have had enough complications to last me a life time.

"Oh, I know!" Utterly surprised by the sudden confidence in Hinata's voice, I snap my head towards her to see her eyes alight with a fresh realization. I wouldn't be surprised if she lit up like a bulb. She gives me a knowing look which gives me the feeling of trepidation, already predicting what she was going to reveal out loud. The thing I didn't want to acknowledge.